Pork Belly with Preserved Mustard Greens

This savory, melt-in-your-mouth Pork Belly with Preserved Mustard Greens is a beloved classic in Chinese cuisine. While it’s especially popular during holidays and special occasions, it’s truly a showstopper any time of the year. Deeply flavorful and ultra-comforting, it’s worth every step!

Recipe

Serves: 4 to 6 people
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 3 hours
Rest time: 1 hour (for soaking)

For the pork belly:
2 pounds pork belly, skin on
2 slices ginger
2 pods star anise (for boiling)
6 tablespoons dark soy sauce (for brushing)
Oil for frying (enough to cover the pork belly skin side)

For the sauce:
3 tablespoons chu hou paste
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon red fermented tofu sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon sugar

For the mustard greens:
4 ounces preserved mustard greens, soaked and finely minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
2 pods star anise
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken stock

To finish:
1 teaspoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water (slurry)
Scallions for garnish

Instructions

1. Parboil the pork belly:

• In a pot of room-temperature water, add the pork belly, 2 slices of ginger, and 2 star anises.
• Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes until cooked through.

2. Prepare the skin:

• Pat the pork belly dry, then poke holes all over the skin with a sharp tool.
• While still hot, brush with 6 tablespoons of dark soy sauce. Let it air dry completely.

3. Fry the pork belly:

• In a cool pan, add enough oil to cover the pork skin. Place pork belly skin-side down, cover with a lid, and turn the heat to medium
• Fry until the skin is golden. Turn off the heat before uncovering.

4. Make the sauce:

• In a bowl, mix chu hou paste, hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, soy sauce, red fermented tofu sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sugar. Set aside.

5. Slice and marinate the pork:

• Once cool, slice the pork into 1/2-inch thick pieces.
• Pour the sauce over the pork slices, making sure they are fully coated.

6. Prepare the preserved mustard greens:

• Squeeze out excess water from the soaked and minced mustard greens.
• In a dry pan, stir-fry without oil until they feel dry. Set aside
• In another pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil, add garlic, ginger, mustard greens, star anise, and bay leaves.
• Stir-fry until aromatic, then add chicken stock and leftover marinade. Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.

7. Assemble and steam:

• Neatly layer pork belly slices in a heatproof bowl. Top with the mustard greens mixture.
• Steam the bowl for at least 2 hours (up to 3 hours for extra tenderness).

8. Finish and serve:

• Carefully remove the bowl and invert it onto a plate.
• In a pan, simmer the sauce and thicken it with the cornstarch slurry. Pour over the pork and garnish with scallions.

Tips & notes

• Air-drying the skin helps it stay intact and become more flavorful after frying.
• Dry stir-frying the preserved mustard greens enhances their ability to absorb sauce and fat later.
• Don’t skip the steaming step—it transforms the pork belly into something buttery and fall-apart tender